The invention relates to a method for producing a pressure vessel, in particular a pressure vessel for a vehicle. Further, the invention relates to a pressure vessel, in particular a pressure vessel for a vehicle.
More specifically, the invention relates to a pressure vessel for receiving and storing a medium under overpressure and a method for producing same.
A pressure vessel, in particular for a vehicle, is known from document DE 299 09 827 U1. This document discloses a pressure vessel for receiving and storing a medium under overpressure, comprising a vessel main part which is closed in a pressure-tight manner by an arched cover and an arched base. For this purpose, the cover at the cover end of the vessel main part and the base at the base end of the vessel main part are welded to the vessel main part. The vessel main part has a plurality of cross-webs which connect opposite wall segments of the wall of the vessel main part to one another in order to give the vessel main part the required pressure resistance.
In the case of the known pressure vessel, the vessel main part is finish-machined before mounting the cover and the base on the vessel main part. On the one hand, this process involves introducing grooves into the cross-webs in the respective transition regions thereof into the wall of the vessel main part. The grooves serve for the centred reception of the cover and of the base at the first and second openings of the vessel main part. Moreover, the vessel main part is adapted to the outer circumference of the cover attachment rim and of the base attachment rim in the region of the first opening and of the second opening in order to compensate for tolerances between the vessel main part and the cover and base.
The finish-machining processes on the vessel main part which have been described above are each accomplished by cutting, i.e. by the removal of material.
However, a finish-machining process on the vessel main part involving cutting is expensive and time-consuming, and this has a disadvantageous effect on the production process.
Moreover, a finish-machining process on the vessel main part involving the removal of material in order to introduce the grooves and for the above-described tolerance compensation to allow accurately fitting reception of the cover and base ele-ments is associated with a reduction in the wall thickness of the vessel main part. This reduction in wall thickness leads to weakening of the wall of the vessel main part, espe-cially in the cover and base attachment regions of the vessel main part, and this can result in a preferential breaking point or a possible lack of leaktightness in the vessel main part.
The above-described weakening of the wall of the vessel main part due to the finish-machining involving cutting must therefore be compensated by deliberate reinforcement of the wall, at least in the cover and base attachment regions. Here, the reinforcement of the wall should be provided either during the production of the vessel main part, by producing the vessel main part overall with a greater wall thickness, or introduced subsequently into the vessel main part, e.g. by deposition welding. Producing the vessel main part with a greater wall thickness disadvantageously leads to a higher weight of the pressure vessel and to higher costs for materials in the production of the pressure vessel. Subsequent reinforcement of the wall of the vessel main part is a time-consuming and expensive measure.
DE 102 12 801 C1 discloses a cooler for liquid media which is con-structed from a main profile and a plurality of webs arranged therein. In order to ensure a meandering flow of the liquid medium, the ends of the webs, which project beyond the longitudinal ends of the main profile, are pressed into the interior of the profile. The open ends of the main profile are then soldered to end plates and thus closed.